Automatic alarm and stopping device for engines.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

. D. B. ADAMS.

AUTOMATIC ALARM AND STOPPING DEVICE FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.30, 1903.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

TTORN EYS No. 872,039. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

V D. B. ADAMS.

AUTOMATIC ALARM AND STOPPING DEVICE FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR .1 WAW 06A W BY \ ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE- DANIEL BQADAMS, OF SUMMITVILLE, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC ALARM AND STOPPING DEVICE FOB ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Summitville, in the county of Sullivan and State of NewYork, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements in AutomaticAlarms and Stopping Devices for Engines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

invention relates to automatic alarms and stoppin devices for internalcombustion engines, suc for example as oil and gas engines, and forother machines having cylinders which require to be cooled.

My -invention consists in the novel hydraulically-operated contactdevice adapted, when the flow of cooling water ceases or decreases, tostop the engine and operate an alarm; in. the use of a diaphragm,operated by pressure in the circulating system of the engine or machine,for stopping such engine or machine when the water pressure decreases;and in various other features of invention, hereinafter set forth andparticu larly pointed out in the claims. I

The objects of my invention are, to 1mprove. and simplify automaticstopping. de-

.vices and alarms for internal combustion engines and other machineshaving watercooled cylinders, and to render the same light, compact,free from liability to derangement, and relatively .inex ensive.

I will now proceed to descri e my invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings, illustrating certain forms of my invention, andwill then point out the novel features in claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a portionof the cylinder of a gas or oil engine having my improved alarm andstopping device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view, taken at rightangles with respect to Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of contactpoints. F1 3 is a detail view illustrating the use of a diaphragm foroperating a fuel valve mechanically. Fig. 41s a diagrammatic viewshowing another form of hydraulically-operated alarm and stoppingdevice, and showing also an automatic switch for breaking theshuntcircuit used in starting the engine, after the engine is started.Fig. 5 shows a side view Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September-80, 1908. Serial No- 175.174.

nution of the water Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

and partial section of the said automatic switc I will describe myinvention as applied .to

a gas or oil engine having a water-jacketed.

cylinder. From such description, the application of the invention tointernal com us-.

tion engines having other systems of cooling, and to other machineshaving cylinders which require to be cooled, will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art.

In the o eration of water-cooled explosive or interna combustionengines, it sometimes happens that the circulation of cooling waterceases, or becomes deficient. This may be due to a variety of causes,such as failure of the Water su ply, the accidental closi of a valve,the derangement of a circu ating pump, a leak in the water supply pipeor the jacket, an obstruction in the Water pipes or Lacket,':and avariety of other causes, well nown to those having experience in the useof such engines. to run after the circulation ceases or becomesdeficient, the cylinder becomes overheated, and this may result inburning out the asket If the engine is allowed in scoring, burning orcracking of the cylinder. It is important, therefore, that provision bemade for stopping the engine automatically in case the circulation ofcooling water ceases or becomes deficient. It is desirable, also, thatwarning shall be given when the engine is so stopped, so that the causeof its stopping shall be known imme diately, thus avoiding the necessityof looking the engine over to discover the reason for its stopping.

Referring now to the drawings, and at first to Fig. 1, said figure showsan engine cylinder 1, provided with a water su ply ipe, 2, and a waterdischarge pipe, 3. t is aiso provided with an igniter, 4, only theexternal portion of which is shown. To the ipe 3 is attached a contactdevice operated y dimiressure of the engine, and consisting of adiaphragm chamber or casing 5, connected preferably to the dischargepipe 3, and provided with a diaphragm 6. This diap ragmI preferably anrange to operate contact points controlling some electric circuit, suchas the ignition circuit, the breaking or completing of which controlsthe operation of the engine. To this end, a flexible spring contactpiece, 7, is

. secured to the diaphragm casing, and is prorather than to the watersup ly plpe,

vided with a screw; 8,resting against the diahragm and arranged to bemoved thereby. To insure that this contact iece 7 shall always followthe dia hragm, further provide a flat spring 9, fixe( at oneend, andprovided at the other end with an adjusting screw 10 the pointofwhichrests against the contact piece 7. Said contact piece, nearits-end, works between two spring contact pieces, 11 and 12, insulatedfrom each other, and from the contact piece 7 except when in contacttherewith, and arranged, the one to make contact with contact piece 7when the diaphragm is distended by pressure behind it, the other to makecontact with contact piece 7 whenthe pressure behind the diaphragm hasdecreased to such extent that said dia-. phragm is pressed inward by thespring 9. Circuits whlch may be used with this contact device are showninFig. 1, said circuits being theignition circuit of the engine, whichsaid contact device is arranged to break whenop erated', and a bellcircult arranged to be completed when the ignition circuit is broken.The ignition circuit shown is one which may be employed with the touchsplark system of ignition, in which the igniter as a movable contactpoint, actuated by some moving.

portion of the engine. The said circuit includes'a battery 13, a wire 14leading from one terminal thereof through. a spark-coil 15 to oneterminal of the igniter 4, another wire 16 leading from the otherterminal of the igniter to contact piece l1, and a wire connecting thecontact spring 7 with the other terminal of the battery. This circuit iscomplete so long as water pressure in pi e 3 keeps contact spring 7 'incontact w1t contact piece 1 1 ;'but if for any reason the water pressuredecreases to such extent that the circulation is insuflicient to keepthe engine cylinder at proper temperature, the spring '9 will pressspring 7 and the diaphragm lnward, breaking the ignition circuit, thusstopping the engine, and completing a circuit from thebattery'through'contact springs 7 and .12,

conductor 17, bell 18, and conductor19 back to battery, thus causing thebell to ring. It is preferable to apply this stoplping device and alarmto the water disc arge pipe,

I cause ther'e'may be considerab e water pressure in the supply pipewithout water being present in the acket, in sufficient uantity.Thus,'there may be a stoppage-in t e water supply pipe, or in thejacket, or there may be a leak in the jacket, or'the jacket drain-cockmay be open. In all of these cases, a stopping device attached to thesupply pipe may not sto the engine, while one attached to the disc argepipe will do so.

To provideln the discharge pipe the slight back pressure necessary tokeep the diaphragm pressed out while the circulation continues, it maybe advisable in many cases to provide, in the discharge pipe, beyond thepoint of connection'of the diaphragm chamer thereto, a contraction 20.

It is obvious that various other circuits, which may be operated by thediaphragm contact device to stop the engine, may be employed. If theengine is provided with the jump-spark system of ignltion, in which theignition battery is in a primary circuit of an induction coil, theigniter being in the secondary circuit of such coil, the stopping devicewlll be arranged to break the primary circuit of the coil, just as itbreaks the igmtion circuit shown in Fig. 1.

In startingthe engine, 1t may be necessary to complete the ignitioncircuit around the automatic stopping device until circulation at thenormal rate is established. This is necessary for example whencirculation is produced by a circulating pump drivenv by the engine. Forthis purpose, I provide a branch circuit 24 bridging the automatic stopling device, and containing a key v25 whic when depressed, completes thebranch circuit. Instarting the engine, this key will be closed until theengine is in full operation. But instead of the key 25,

I may use the automatic deviceshown in Fig. 4 for closing the branchcircuit when starting the engine, and opening said branch'circuit'automatically at the proper time.

Instead of controlling the engine by its ignition circuit, the diaphragmmay be caused to operate a fuel valve, to shut off the supply of fuel.Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 3, in'which the diaphragm, 20, isarranged, when the pressure behind it decreases, to operate a trip 21,releasing the weighted arm' 22 of a fuel-valve 23 in the fuel-su plypipe of an engine, thus causingsaid va ve to cut off the supply of fuel.In Fig. 4 I show another form of h operating an alarm and stopping theengine.

- This device comprises two diaphragm chame bers, 26 and 27, bothconnected preferably to the same water discharge pipe of the engin'e.These diaphragm chambers are provided with sockets 28 and 29, adapted toreceive plugs 30 and 31 of. insulating material. Each of these plugs isprovided'with a central bore adapted to receive a rod 32 or 33, normallyresting on the diaphragm 34 or 35, and provided at its u per end with aflanged piece of cop er or ot er electrically conductive matena 36 or 37The sockets 28 and 29 further contain plugs 38 and 39 of insulatingmaterial, carrying binding osts and corresponding contact piecesa aptedto make contact with the contact piece 36. or 37. The contact pieces, 40and 41, of the diaphragm chamber 26, are below the flange 40 and 41.This diaphragm device operates a circuit containing analarm bell 18. Thecontact pieces 42 and 43 of diaphragm chamber 27, are arranged to makecontact with contact iece 37 when said contact piece is raised ypressure behind the diaphragm. These contacts are in the ignitioncircuit of the engine, and correspond to contact pieces 7 and 11 of thedevice shown in hlg. 1. Springs 44 and 45, arranged to be adjusted byscrews 46 and 47, tend to press rods 32 and 33 against their respectivediaphragms.

In the operation of this device, supposing the engine to be in fulloperation, if the water pressure in the discharge pipe decreasesseriously, both diaphragms 34 and 35 will be pressed inward by said srings, and thereby contact piece 37 will brea contact with contactpieces 42 and 43, thus breaking the ignition circuit and stopping theengine, and contact piece 36 will make contact with contact pieces 40and 41, thus closing the alarm circuit. For starting the engine Iprovide, as in Fig. 1, a branch circuit 24 to complete the i tioncircuit around the automatic stopping device until the engine is in fulloperation; and in this branch circuit is an automatic switch illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. 4, which breaks the branch circuit as soon as'contact is established between contact piece 37 and contact pieces 42and 43. The said switch comprises a magnet 48 having an armature 49 andarmature lever 50; and two contact springs 51 and 52, adapted to makecontact with said armature lever. The switch is inclosed in casing 54,through which rejects a button 55, having at its inner en a T-head 56,of insulating material, adapted ,to press in both springs 51. and 52.The end of the armature lever and the ends of these springs are soformed that when said springs are pressed inward by the push button,they s ring into engagement with the head 64 of t \e armature lever; andwhen the magnet 48 is energized by the completion of the circuit throughit, and its armature nection with this switch may be traced as folcuit,completed when dia hragm 35 is raised,

passes from 58, througi contacts 43, 37,

anda contact similar to 42, but hidden in the drawing by spring 45, tobinding post 61, and thence by wire 53, through the magnet 48 of theautomatic switch, spring 52 of that.

switch and insulated end section 64 of the armature, and through acontinuation of wire 53 back to battery. This last circuit is .brokenwhen magnet 48 attracts its arma- 42 and 43, and thereby the ignitioncircuit'is completed around the automatic switch, and at the same timethe circuit through wire 53 and the magnet 48 of that switch iscompleted, thus energizing said magnet and causing it to attract itsarmature, releasing contact s rings 51 and 52, and thereby breaking t 1ecircuit through the magnet and the ignition circuit first establishedthrough contacts 50 and 51. I ordinarily provide in the circuit 65 ofthe alarm' bell 18, a switch 63 which may be opened by hand to preventcontinuous operation of the bell while the e ine is not running. I

he automatic sto pin and alarm operating devices above (escribed, embodycertain features illustrated, described and claimed, in priorapplications for Letters Patent filed on May 23, 1902, Serial No.108,630, and on August 29, 1002, Serial No. 121,416; also certainfeatures covered by a companion application, filed September 30, 1003,Serial No. 17 5,173, and by another application filed Nov. 30, 1903,Serial No. 183,112, a division of application, Serial No. 108,630, abovementioned.

It is obvious that the devices described above are only particularembodiments of I my invention, and that the same is susceptible of manyvariations and n'iodifications without departing from the spirit andscope thereof.

I do not limit myself to the particular details of construction andarrangement herein illustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having awater-cooled cylinder, a water pipe therefor, electric igniting meanscomprising an ignition circuit, a diaphragm chamber connected to saidwater pipe, and a diaphragm arranged to be operated by variation inwater pressure in said pipe, of contact points operated by said diephragm, and controlling said ignition circuit.

2. The combination with an internal comsure decreases to break saidignition circuit.

3. In an engine-stopping device, the combination withfluid-pressure-operated means comprising a pressure chamber, andawaterpassage connected with said chamber having a contraction beyond thepoint of connection of said chamber thereto in the direction of flow ofthe water, of means operated by said iluid-pressure-operated means forcontrolling the operation of the engine.

4. In an engine-stopping device, the combination with a diaphragmchamber, a diaphragm therefor, and a water-passage connected with saidchamber, having a contrac tion beyond the point of connection of saidchamber thereto in the direction'of flow of the water, of means operatedby said diaphragm for controlling the operation of an engine.

5. The combination with an internalcom; bustion engine having anelectric ignition circuit, of means for stop ing the engine arranged toautomatically reak-said ignition circuit, a branch circuit for use instart ing the engine, bridging said automatic stopping means andtherefore nullifying action of said stopping means during the startingof the engine, and automatic means for completing or breaking saidbranch circuit.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having an electricignition circuit and a hydraulically-operated stopping device arrangedto interrupt said ignition. circuit, of a branch circuit for use instarting the engine, bridging said'automatic stopping device andtherefore nullifying action 0: said stopping means during the startingof theengine, and an automatic switch arranged to break such circuitwhen the engine is in operation.

7. The combination with an internal combustion engine having an electricignition circuit, of automatic stopping means controlling said i'gnitioncircuit, a branch of said ignition circuit for use .in starting theengine,

' bridging said automatic stopping means and therefore nullifying actionof said stoppin means during the starting of the en ine, an a switch,arranged to complete suc branch circuit and operated by said automaticstopping means, to break said branch circuit.

8. The combination with an internal com bustion engine having anelectric ignition circuit, of vautomatic stopping means controlling saidignition circuit, a branch of said ig- 1 nition circuit bridging saidautomatic stop- Macao and therefrom, comprising, with the jacket,

a circulating system, said engine having also an electric ignitioncircuit, of automatic stopping means, operated by Water flowing throughthe circulating system, controlling said ignition circuit, a branch ofsaid ignition circuit bridging said automatic stopping means, and aswitch, arranged to complete such branch clrcult and. operatedr' b saidautomatic stopping means, to brea said branch circuit.

10. The combination with an internal combustion engine having awater-jacketed cylinderfand means for conveying water t ereto andtherefrom, comprising, with the jacket, a circulating system, saidengine having also an electric ignition circuit, of'automatic stoppingmeans, operated by water flowing through the circulating system,controlling said ignition circuit, a branch of said ignition circuitbridging said automatic stop.- ping means, and a switch controlling suchbranch circuit, arranged to be operated by hand-to complete the circuitandto be operated by said automatic stopping means to break suchcircuit.

l]. The combination with an internal combustion engine having anelectric ignition circuit, and an automatically operated switch forinterrupting said circuit, of a branch of said ignition circuit bridgingsaid switch, a switch arranged to complete such branch circuit andcomprising electrically operated means for breaking said branch circuitand means for operating said last named switch.

129The combination with an internal combustion engine having an electricignition circuit, and an automatically operated switch for interruptingsaid circuit, of a branch of said ignition circuit brid ing said switch,a switch arranged to complete such branch circuit and comprisingelectricall operated means for breakin said branc circuit, and a circuitcontro ling said last named switch and controlled by said first namedswitch.

13. The combination with an internal combustion engine having anelectric ignishoulders and to electro-magnet and means operated therebyY bustion en ine having an electric ignition circuit, an automaticstoppin means con-' trolling such circuit, of a branc ofsaid ignitioncircuit bridging said automatic stopping means, an automatic switchcontrolling such branch circuit, and comprising a controlling magnet, amovable armature therefor, contacts for said branch circuit operatedbysaid armature, and hand-operated means for closing both said contacts;and a controlling circuit for said magnet, completed by sai automaticstopping means when the i nition; circuit is completed therethrough,Iiereb the switch is operated and the said branc circuit is broken.

. 15. The combination with an internal combustion en ine having anelectric ignition circuit, an automatic stopping means controlling suchcircuit, of a branch of said ignition circuit bridging said automaticstopping means, an automatic switch controlling such branch circuit andcomprisin a controlling magnet, a movable armature t erefor havingshouldered portions, one insulated from the other, two contact springsarranged each to be pressed into en agement with one of said be releasedtherefrom by movement of the armature, and means for pressing said sprininto on agement with such shoulders; an a controfiing circuit for saidmagnet passing through one of the contacts of-the switch and arranged tobe completed by said automatic stoppin means when the ignition circuitis comp ete said automatic stopping means.

through 16. The combination with an internal combustion en inc andautomatic stopp' means therefor, o a starting device arrange I to rendersaid automatic stopping device mefiective when starting the engine, andmeans for rendering said startin device inefiective after the engine is,in ful o eration.

1 7. The combination wi an internal combustion engine having a waterjacketed cylinder, and automatic stoppin by diminution in the flow 0%cooling water to stop the engine, of a startin device adapted to beoperated to render sai automatic stop-4 ping device ineffective whenstarting the ene, and means for rendering said st evice ineffectiveafter the engine is in operation. Y

18. In connection with a water cooled explosion en ine provided withmeans for supplying coo ing water to it, a sparking circuit,

.an alarm circuit, and switching means actuated by varying pressure inthe cooling circuit, arranged to break the ignition circuit and tocomplete the alarm circuit upon diminution of pressure in the coolingcircuit.

19. In connection with water pipes arranged to convey cooling water toan explosive engine, a sparking circuit, an alarm circui't, a switch andmeans actuated by varying pressure of water in the cooling'clrcuit, forshifting the switch between the spar cirmeans operated cuit and thealarm circuit, substanti y as described.

In testimony whereof I 'affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses. v

. DANIEL B. ADAMS. Witnesses:

C. F. CARRINGTON, MINERVA PAPE.

